News

Support group: last case of forced Romany woman sterilization was in 2007

An Ostrava-based support group, the Group of Women Harmed by Sterilization, said on Monday that the last case of a Romany woman sterilized against her will in the Czech Republic took place in 2007. Spokeswoman for the group Elena Goralová said that the woman was now 40 years old, lived in northern Moravia and had four children. A social worker allegedly threatened to take her children away if she refused to undergo sterilization. Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Michael Kocáb informed the government at its Monday session of the allegations.

It is generally assumed that coerced sterilization of Romany women took place in what is now the Czech Republic between 1959 and 2001. Several cases of forced sterilization have since been tried at courts but none of the victims have been compensated.

Report: Czech Romanies face general discrimination

In related news, Romanies in the Czech Republic face general discrimination, says a report on the state of the Romany community in 2008 approved by the cabinet on Monday. The document, compiled by Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Michael Kocáb, comes less than a week after Canada brought back visas for Czech citizens due to an increasing number of Czech Romanies seeking asylum in that country. The report also highlights a surge in right-wing extremism, poor economic conditions of Romanies and family ties with those who had left earlier, as reasons why Czech Romanies increasingly seek asylum in Canada. Mr Kocáb said a strategy to fight social exclusion of Romany communities should be ready by October.

Town wants to prevent Romanies from getting simultaneous benefits

The town of Litvínov, northern Bohemia, wants to prevent Romanies from simultaneously obtaining social benefits in the Czech Republic and in the UK. The town’s deputy mayor, Martin Klika, said on Monday some Romany families applied for social benefits in Great Britain but regularly return to collect Czech benefits as well. Town officials are planning to contact their colleagues in Britain to find out about how many people might be abusing the welfare system.

Ombudsman says benefits in form of food vouchers ok

In related news, the office of the Czech ombudsman has agreed that social benefits could be given out in the form of food vouchers provided that each such case is decided individually. The town hall in Litvínov started issuing food vouchers instead of money in 2007. Town officials said this was a good way of preventing the abuse of benefits. The ombudsman’s office initially pro tested but its spokeswoman said on Monday that it was possible.

Health officials register 28th swine flu case

Czech health authorities registered a new case of swine flu in the country on Monday; the number of patients treated for the disease has reach 28. Eight people remain in hospital. The last patient, a girl who contracted the disease in the UK, is now in home care and is reportedly in good condition. The Czech health minister, Dana Jurásková, said she would meet with the representatives of the regions to consider anti-epidemic measures.

Pope to speak English rather than German during Czech visit

Pope Benedict XVI will not speak in his native German during a visit to the Czech Republic in September, the daily Mladá fronta Dnes reported on Monday citing sources from Czech organizers. The Pope’s advisors asked him not to do so because of the problematic historical associations with the language. Unlike his predecessor, John Paul II, Benedict XVI cannot speak Czech and will therefore speak English most of the time. The Pope will also deliver sermons in Italian which will be consecutively interpreted into Czech. The daily said that only the Czech president, Václav Klaus, insisted German is used during a formal meeting with the Pope at Prague Castle.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church will visit the Czech Republic for three days in September. He will be the first incumbent pope to honour St Wenceslas, the Czech patron saint. Benedict XVI will also pay tribute to the Baby Jesus statue in Prague and celebrate mass at Brno airport.

Czech ambassador to Vienna informs President Klaus on Canadian visa situation

The Czech ambassador to Vienna informed President Václav Klaus on Monday about the situation at the Canadian embassy in Austria capital which issues visas to Czech travellers to Canada. Ambassador Jan Koukal told the president that according to his knowledge, Canada will not start issuing visas at its Prague embassy. Mr Koukal noted however that a majority of applicants receive visas on the same day they apply. Hundreds of Czechs have travelled to Vienna to get Canadian visas since they were reinstated last Tuesday.

Civic Democrat MP in hot water over Czech Airlines salary

Civic Democrat MP Jan Burgermeister made some 460,000 crowns, or more than 25,000 US dollars, last year for being on the Czech Airlines’ board of directors, the news website ihned.cz reported on Monday. However, Czech MPs are prohibited by law to receive salaries for being on boards of state-owned firms; the Czech state owns some 90 percent of Czech Airlines. Mr Burgermeister has refused to return the funds, pointing out that he only represented the city of Prague in the Czech national carrier.

Another 450 clients of bankrupt travel agency return to Prague

Some 450 clients of the bankrupt Tomi Tour travel agency are expected to arrive in Prague on Monday. The holidaymakers are coming back from Ibiza and several seaside resorts in Egypt. More than 3200 clients of Tomi Tour were stranded abroad after the tour operator went out of business on Friday.

Ostrava steel plant to cut 300 jobs

The largest Czech steel producer Arcelor Mittal Ostrava is going to cut 300 jobs in the coming months due to the global economic crisis, the news website novinky.cz reported on Monday. Only 40 percent of the company’s production capacity was reached in the first half of 2009. This year, the firm has slashed more than 900 positions. It currently employs some 6,600 workers.

Three Czech fans join U2 on stage in Berlin to perform Angel of Harlem

Three Czech fans joined the band U2 on stage in Berlin on Sunday to play one of the band’s hit songs, Angel of Harlem. The fans, members of a U2 tribute band, held up signs during the show specifying their musical skills and the name of the song. Some six songs into the concert, U2 singer Bono asked them to come on stage, play his guitar and assist Larry Mullen on drums.

Summer school of Czech for foreigners underway in Olomouc

Some 80 foreigners from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the United States and other countries started learning Czech at a summer school of Slavic studies, organized by the Palacký University in Olomouc, central Moravia. The month-long course also includes film screenings, trips and a theatre workshop.

Weather

The start of the week will be mostly cloudy with some clear spots and some rain. Highest day temperatures should range between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius.